James Toseland heads the refreshed British riders returning from the summer break to face the last seven grands prix of the season, starting with the Cardion ab Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Brno on Sunday.
The twenty seven year old Yorkshireman returns after a tremendous first part of his MotoGP debut season and has every reason to be confident in the 22 lap on Sunday. Last year he really tuned his season round with first and second places in the two World Superbike Championship races at the superb 3.357 mile Brno circuit. He currently lies ninth in the World Championship riding the Tech 3 Yamaha but good results in the final seven races could lift him as high as the top six.
Seventeen year old Bradley Smith is still chasing that elusive first 125 cc grand prix victory after coming so close in that opening half of the season. Riding the Polaris World Aprilia, he’s seventh in the World Championship but has a great chance not only to secure that long awaited first victory but also a top five finish.
Fifteen year Scott Redding has already achieved his first grand prix win in a remarkable World Championship debut season for the Gloucestershire teenager. Once again he faces a completely new circuit on the Blusens Aprilia but it’s never been a problem before as he has every chance of improving on his tenth place in the World 125 cc Championship.
Kent-based Danny Webb has enjoyed the summer break and has at last fully recovered from the broken collarbone he sustained when he crashed at the British Grand Prix. Riding the DeGraff Grand Prix Aprilia, he’s had a real up and down opening half of the season and will be looking for some real consistency to improve on his 17th place.
In the very competitive 250 cc class Ulsterman Eugene Laverty has had to battle for every single World Championship point riding the ageing Blusens Aprilia. It will be tough for him at Brno with the long uphill drag towards the start and finish suiting the works machines.
James Toseland
“The two races at Brno last year were the turning point of my season and I have very fond memories of the track. I’ve ridden there every year since the World Superbikes returned and it’s certainly one of my favourite circuits. I’m really up for it on Sunday.
Bradley Smith
“I’m fully fit at last and can’t wait for the second part of the season. There are 175 points up for grabs and I know what I have to do, starting on Sunday at Brno which should suit my Aprilia. The last week has been dragging and I can’t wait for that first practice session on Friday morning
Scott Redding
” Another new track and it looks pretty new interesting. I can’t wait to get back on the bike after such a long break and hopefully I can continue where I left off in the first part of the season”
Danny Webb
“I’m giving my Collarbone a good test by riding a road bike at Assen on Tuesday in a charity event but it feels fine and is fully healed. I had a good break in Spain but I want to get riding again. I need to get some consistent results in those last seven races.
Eugene Laverty
Unfortunately Brno is going to be tough for me and the team but as always we go there ready to fight for World Championship points. The big hill up to the start and finish and those fast uphill and downhill chicanes really suit the factory bikes but we will give it everything.”
The Gladiators Return
We may be in the middle of the Olympic Games but the fiercest gladiatorial sporting contest of the summer is set to explode back into action when Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner meet head to head at Brno on Sunday.
Their last confrontation at Laguna Seca in America may have been four weeks ago but it’s still fresh in the minds of millions of fans throughout the world who can’t wait for the next instalment. Last year nearly a quarter of a million fans packed Brno over the weekend and even more are expected this weekend.
In America seven times World Champion Rossi, riding the Fiat Yamaha, rode one of his greatest ever races to beat the Championship winning combination of Stoner and the Marlboro Ducati in one of the toughest battles of the last decade. There is no reason why there will not be more of the same round the magnificent Brno circuit at round 12 of the Championship in the 22 lap race on Sunday.
Rossi opened up a 25 point lead over Australian World Champion Stoner in the Championship with seven rounds remaining and the Ducati rider will be looking for a repeat of his comfortable victory last season to pull back the advantage. He will be chasing a hatrick of Brno wins for the Ducati factory with Loris Capirossi bringing them success two years ago but Rossi also has a good record at the 3.357 mile circuit that staged its first grand prix in 1987. The Italian has won three premier class races plus a 250 and a 125 in 1996 which was the first of his 92 grands prix victories.
The four week break has been a godsend for the two Spanish riders chasing Rossi and Stoner in the Championship. Both Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo will return to the action after recovering from injuries. Third placed Pedrosa missed the US Grand Prix after crashing out while leading the German Grand Prix on the Repsol Honda the week before. Fourth placed Lorenzo had a spectacular fall from the Fiat Yamaha on the first lap at Laguna Seca but despite breaking bones in his foot should be fit to return. Both riders have impressive record at Brno. Pedrosa has won 125 and 250 cc races while Lorenzo has won the 250 cc race for the last two years and secured a 125 cc victory four years ago.
Also hoping to make a return to the action is American John Hopkins who finished a brilliant second last year. The American has missed the last three grands prix after a spectacular qualifying crash from the Kawasaki in Holland.
With the rumour mill in full cry about who will be where next season it’s an important last seven races for a number of riders. The 2006 World Champion American Nicky Hayden finished third last year riding the Repsol Honda but is eighth in the Championship this year. His cause will not be helped after damaging his right heel in a SuperMoto race in America during the break. Italian Marco Melandri has a fantastic record at Brno but his first season in the Ducati team has been a disaster. He has won one 250 and two 125 cc races at the Czech circuit but is languishing in 17th place in the Championship. He looks certain to leave Ducati and the only question to be answered is when.
Italian Andrea Dovizioso is having a superb debut season on JIR team Scot MotoGP Honda. The former 125 cc World Champion is fifth just three points in front of America Colin Edwards who has already re-signed for the Tech 3 Yamaha team for next season. Seventh placed Chris Vermeulen chases a second successive podium after a brilliant third on the Rizla Suzuki in America.
For the likes of Anthony West, Toni Elias and Randy De Puniet is the start of a vital two months that will decide their futures in the MotoGP World Championship.
The 250 cc Championship could provide the closest finish with the inform Italian Marco Simoncelli taking the lead after winning the last round in Germany. In a two horse race the Gilera rider holds an 11 point advantage over the KTM of Finnish star Mika Kallio. After scoring no points in the opening two rounds Simoncelli has finished on the podium in the last six races including three wins.
Frenchman Mike Di Meglio will be hoping to keep a cool head as he defends that impressive 30 point lead in the very competitive 125 cc class. The 20 year old won the last round in Germany on the Ajo Motorsport Derbi but look out for World Champion Gabor Talmacsi who will receive massive support from the traveling Hungarian fans as he tries to retain his title despite being down in third place, 57 points adrift of Di Meglio.,
EVENT TIME SCHEDULE
Friday 15th August
09.00 – 09.45: 125cc Practice
10.00 – 11.00: MotoGP Practice
11.15 – 12.15: 250cc Practice
13.10 – 13.40: 125cc Qualifying 1
13.55 – 14.55: MotoGP Practice
15.10 – 15.55: 250cc Qualifying 1
Saturday 16th August
09.00 – 09.45: 125cc Practice
10.00 – 11.00: MotoGP Practice
11.15 – 12.15: 250cc Practice
13.10 – 13.40: 125cc Qualifying 2
13.55 – 14.55: MotoGP Qualifying
15.10 – 15.55: 250cc Qualifying 2
Sunday 17th August
08.40 – 09.00: 125cc Warm Up
09.10 – 09.30: 250cc Warm Up
09.40 – 10.05: MotoGP Warm Up
11.00: 125cc RACE (19 laps)
12.15: 250cc RACE (20 laps)
14.00: MotoGP RACE (22 laps)
TELEVISION TIMES
Practice, qualifying and the races will be shown at the following times on British television:
Saturday August 16th
BBCi and BBC Sport Website 12.45 – 14.00 Qualifying
Sunday August 17th
BBC Two and BBC Sport Website MotoGP race 12.45 -14.00
BRITISH EUROSPORT
Sunday August 17th
11.15 – 14.00 125 cc, 250cc and MotoGP races
